There are two principal questions here: overtesting and retest validity effects.
As to retest/validity concerns: this should not be a problem. The group-administered tests (CogAT & Iowa's--not clear if this is ITBS or IAS) are quite different from the individualized assessments, and would not be expected to affect validity either way.
Overtesting: your child is quite young, so this is a very real consideration. OTOH, he may well enjoy some of the testing, especially the individual assessments. The timing will also make a difference, as you have described a fairly large window. If he's not undergoing all the tests within the same week or two, he likely will not be overwhelmed by the process, as long as it is consistently and effectively communicated to him that the extensive testing is not some kind of sign that he is irredeemably broken; it's for two different purposes. One is just what the school does with every new student. I would probably leave it at that for the district testing. If he has more to ask, you could briefly indicate that it helps teachers know their brand-new students better. The second is to help him and his family understand the way he learns and experiences the world around him, so that the whole family system can learn better/new skills.
On another note, the school probably will, as a matter of policy, not accept private testing in lieu of district testing for eligibility, as that creates equity problems.
Last edited by aeh; 03/23/19 02:42 PM. Reason: extra letters
